Illuminating device for bathroom scales



i 15 ml I. DEAN ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR BATHROOM SCALES I ll Filed Jan.8, 1937 Feb. 8, 1938.

INVENTOR [Wm/6 001M 3 I ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE SCALE Irving Dean, Rockaway Beach, N. Y.

Application January 8 1 Claim.

One object of this invention is the provision of a novel means forilluminating the dial of a bathroom scale automatically upon theexertion of pressure downward on the platform of the scale as soon as aperson stands on the platform,

so that the reading of the dial is facilitated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel contactdevice or switch, whereby the circuit through a lamp situated adjacentthe dial is closed upon the beginning of the descent of the platform,and remains closed as the platform continues to descend and until theweight is removed from the platform.

The above and other objects will become apparent in the descriptionbelow, in which characters of reference refer to like-named parts in theaccompanying drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of a bathroomscale.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of Figure 1, partly in section,showing the relative positions of the parts of the scale when a weightrests on the platform.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram of the illuminating circuit.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral Ill represents the baseof the scale housing having the side walls II and end walls [2 and I3.The housing extends upward adjacent the end wall l3 to provide acompartment 14 in which a rotatably mounted translucent dial i5 issituated. The housing at that end is provided with an opening [6 at thetop, through which the reading of the dial is visible. A dial indicatorI1 is formed in the housing on the periphery of the opening [6.

A scale beam I8 is pivotally mounted on a shaft !9 supported in theopposite side walls H of the housing. A tension spring 20 urges one endof the beam 3 downward and the other end upward. The latter end of thebeam projects through an intermediate wall 2! into the dial compartment[4. The dial I5 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 22 supported in the endwall l3 and the intermediate wall 2|. A flexible steel band 23 has oneend secured at 24 to the end of the beam l8, and its other end securedon the shaft 22 about which a portion of the length of the band 23 iswound in the usual 1937, Serial No. 119,597

manner of such dials. The dial I5 is in the form of a cylindrical shellopen on one side, that is, the left-hand side in Figure 2. An electriclamp 25 is mounted on the inside of the housing of the compartment l4and projects into the space enclosed by the dial 15, at a point near thetop of the compartment l4, so that the uppermost portion of the dial [5lies between the opening it and the lamp 25.

The beam I8 is provided with a pair of spacedapart lugs 26, which arepivotally mounted on a pin 21 rigidly connected between the two arms 28of the beam I8. The lugs 26 are provided on their upper surfaces withelongated knife-edge rails 29. The platform 30 has rigid on itsunderside, a pair of downwardly projecting supports 3| whose lower edgesare hollowed out complementarily with the knife edges 29 on which theyrest. It is to be noted that the result of this structure is a slidablerelationship between the supports 3| and the rails 29, the lugs 25 (ofwhich the rails 29 are a part) being rotatable on the pin 21.

Directly below the pin 21, a vertical tube 32 is mounted on the base 10.The tube 32 is provided with horizontal openings 33 extending throughthe sides thereof near the base of the tube. On a pedestal 34 situatedat a distance from the sleeve 32, are mounted a pair of verticallyspaced apart horizontal spring contact fingers 35 and 36 separated atone end by a block of insulation 31. The fingers 35 and 36 projectthrough the openings 33 in the tube 32 and their free ends are providedwith rounded bosses 38 and 39 which face toward each other. A string orcord 40 has its upper end attached to the pin 21. On the lower end ofthe spring, a weight or ball 41 is attached, the length of the cordextending below the pin 31 being such that it is taut when the beam [8is in its normal inactive position of rest, with the ball ii barelytouching the concave contour of the boss 39.

From the two contact fingers 35 and 3%, lead wires 42 connect through abattery 53 or other source of electric supply with the lamp When aweight such as that of a person, rests on the platform 30, the latter isdepressed, thus permitting the weight of the ball H to be released fromsuspension by the cord 49 and to descend on the tube 32, and hence todepress the boss 39 of the contact finger 33 and thereby close thecircuit through the lamp. Thus, the dial reading on the translucent dialI5 is readily visible through the opening 16. When the weight of theball 4| has depressed the boss 39 to a point where the latter touchesthe boss 38, the circuit is closed. Continued descent of the pin 2'!with the platform 30 causes simple slackening of the cord 48, as shownin Figure 4. Thus, the circuit remains closed continuously until thebeam l8 again rises to a point sufiiciently close to its normal inactiveposition to lift the weight 4| back to its open circuit position, shownin Figure 2.

Obviously, modifications in form and structure may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

In a device of the class described having a beam adapted to swingdownward and a dial adapted to be rotated proportionately to the amountof downward swing of said beam, an electric lamp mounted adjacent saiddial, a source of electric supply, a switch connected in series withsaid lamp and said source, said switch comprising a pair of contactfingers, a pin on said beam having a cord secured at one end thereto, avertical tube mounted beneath said cord and having a horizontal openingtherein, said fingers projecting into said tube through said opening, aweighted ball suspended on the lower end of said cord, said cord beingtaut when the beam is in its extreme elevated position, descent of saidbeam through a relatively short distance causing the weight of said ballto force said fingers together to close said switch, continued descentof said beam causing slackening of said cord to maintain closure of saidswitch.

IRVING DEAN.

